Various appliances have been designed for steaming and/or blending food products. Baby food is often made by steaming food products and then placing them in a blender. While two separate appliances, namely a steamer and a blender, can be employed for making pureed food such as baby food, some appliances have been designed that provide both such functions. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,076,452, 7,617,766 and 6,550,372 and US Publications Nos. 20130032038, 20140305321 and 20140252146 disclose food processing devices that allow the use of one appliance to steam food products and blend it.
Appliances have also been designed for sterilizing baby bottles. Some sterilizers intended for this purpose have employed steam. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,544,529 and 5,213,776 disclose such sterilizing appliances.
Since steam is generated within the appliance intended for steaming and/or blending food products it had become apparent that the same appliance could be used for heating or sterilizing baby bottles and other items babies would place in their mouths. U.S. Pat. No. 7,617,766 discloses an appliance designed to perform both functions.